In the Vitebsk region, the remains of 108 Red Army soldiers who died during the Great Patriotic War were reburied
In 1944, this area became the scene of fierce battles. The 26th and 43rd Guards Tank Brigades, the 215th, 173rd, and 371st Rifle Divisions, and the 735th Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment conducted offensive operations here.
In the spring of this year, military personnel of the 52nd Separate Specialized Search Battalion of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, together with the Moscow regional public organization "Charitable Military-Historical Search Club 'Memory and Reconciliation'," participated in field search operations at the bridgehead site. The head of the latter, Valery Zagrekov, said that the search teams have been working in Noviki for the third year, have already reburied many heroes, but no one knows how many more nameless soldiers lie in the Vitebsk land.
Representatives of the public association "Vitebsk Regional Historical and Patriotic Search Club 'Plamya'," students of the Polotsk Cadet School, and cadets from Moscow School No. 760 named after A. Maresyev also assisted in recovering the remains of the servicemen.
– It is very important that the defenders of our Motherland are honored even 78 years after their death, – noted the Chairman of the Regional Council of Deputies Vladimir Terentyev, emphasizing the importance of involving young people in the work of perpetuating the memory of fallen heroes. – We say thank you to these soldiers for living under a clear sky, in a free country, having the right to speak our native language, and to build the future for our children.
Unfortunately, the names of the deceased have not been identified. Among the items found during the excavations were fragments of weapons, items from the Great Patriotic War era, and one opened locket, which was examined. However, the semi-decayed note could not be deciphered.
According to the Chairman of the Vitebsk District Council of Deputies Viktor Dorozhkin, every military burial site in the district is registered. Not only local residents but also representatives of public organizations, institutions, and enterprises are taking patronage over them. Viktor Vasilyevich presented letters of gratitude to the young patriotic searchers who participated in the search expedition and thanked them for their dedication.
The rally participants honored the memory of the fallen with a minute of silence. A salute was fired during the burial of the remains of the Fatherland's defenders, and wreaths and flowers were laid on the mass grave.
In military burial site No. 8013, 125 unknown soldiers who died during the Great Patriotic War found a common resting place. In 2020, the remains of 42 servicemen were buried here, and in 2021 – 83. Their surnames have not been identified. In total, in 2022, the remains of 138 servicemen of the Red Army who died during the Great Patriotic War were exhumed in the Vitebsk region. From August 2 to 11, search operations are being conducted in the territory of the Zaronsky village council.